My name is Mercedes, and together with my 9-year-old daughter, Zara, we're the faces behind Stay Woke Brew and Dough My Gosh, It's Bread.

Believe it or not, Dough My Gosh, It's Bread came first. In January 2026, I simply started baking bread for fun. I wasn't trying to start a business. I genuinely enjoyed making homemade bread and sharing it with family and friends. Before long, people began asking if they could place orders, and what started as a hobby slowly grew into something much bigger than I ever expected.

A few months later, around the middle to the end of May 2026, Stay Woke Brew was born. Just like the bakery, it wasn't created with the intention of becoming a business. I started experimenting with fun coffee creations and shared them with a few friends. Those friends told more friends, and before I knew it, our little coffee idea had taken on a life of its own.

Then, during the first week of June, everything changed. Our apartment's central air conditioning stopped working, and without a safe way to keep our kitchen cool, we had to stop baking altogether. As heartbreaking as that was, something unexpected happened. While our bakery was forced to pause, Stay Woke Brew began growing faster than I ever imagined. Within just a few weeks, people were traveling from across Wisconsin to try our coffee, our online community grew into the thousands, and what started as a fun idea became something truly special.

Just as Stay Woke Brew was taking off, we received a cease-and-desist order requiring us to stop operating from home. It was devastating, but instead of giving up, I chose to learn. I chose to ask questions. I chose to build both businesses the right way.

Looking back, what felt like the worst moment became a blessing in disguise. Instead of continuing as we were, it pushed us to create a real foundation for the future. With the help of our incredible community, we've already formed our LLC, obtained our seller's permit, enrolled in ServSafe certification, and secured the opportunity to operate from a licensed commercial kitchen. Every step has brought us closer to reopening legally and building something that can continue to grow for years to come.

Then, on July 20, 2026, another blessing came our way. After weeks without being able to bake, we finally received a portable air conditioner for our apartment, making it possible to safely begin baking again under Wisconsin's cottage food law. While it's not a permanent solution, it has allowed Dough My Gosh, It's Bread to begin raising money again while we continue working toward reopening Stay Woke Brew.

My journey hasn't been easy. I grew up in the foster care system and made my share of mistakes as a teenager, but everything changed when I became a mother. I promised myself that my daughter would have a life she wouldn't have to recover from, and every decision I've made since has been guided by that promise.

Since then, I've overcome addiction, survived a nearly fatal brain infection in 2018, and experienced the heartbreaking loss of both of my parents. Those experiences didn't break me. They taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of never giving up, even when life tells you to.

Today, Dough My Gosh, It's Bread is helping fund the dream while we continue working toward reopening Stay Woke Brew. Every bread order, every custom sticker purchase, every donation, and every share helps move us one step closer to our goal.

We're asking for help covering the remaining startup costs needed to reopen, including NSF-certified commercial equipment, an NSF-certified espresso machine, commercial blenders, business insurance, licensing fees, our first month's rent, inventory, shelving, and the many other expenses required to legally operate from a commercial kitchen. When this journey first began, I truly believed I could simply bring my equipment from home. I quickly learned that commercial operations require much more than passion and determination.

Our dream has never changed. While our next step may be reopening Stay Woke Brew from a shared commercial kitchen, that's only the beginning. Even if we start by serving coffee first, our long-term goal has always been the same: to one day open a permanent location where Stay Woke Brew and Dough My Gosh, It's Bread operate together under one roof. We envision a place where our community can enjoy handcrafted coffee, fresh homemade bread, and an atmosphere built on kindness, creativity, and genuine connection.

Every donation helps bring us one step closer to making that vision a reality. If you're unable to donate, there are still so many ways to support us. Placing a bread order, purchasing a custom sticker, sharing our story, or simply cheering us on means more than you'll ever know. Every act of support, no matter how small, helps us continue building toward the future we've dreamed of since this journey began.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in us, encouraging us through one of the hardest chapters of our lives, and reminding us that setbacks don't have to be the end of the story. Because of you, we're not just rebuilding. We're building something even stronger than before.

With love and gratitude,

Mercedes & Zara ☕